


Two and Four and Seven and Eight

by Chibifukurou



Category: Tales of the High Court Series - Megan Derr
Genre: Canon Trans Character, Dreams and Nightmares, Fluff, Multi, Polyamory, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 13:13:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17101229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibifukurou/pseuds/Chibifukurou
Summary: “Then make Sarrica come back with you. And maybe bring the children. Between the six of us he won’t stand a chance."Allen rested a hand against Tara’s belly. “There will be seven of us to gang up on him soon.”





	Two and Four and Seven and Eight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [finkpishnets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/finkpishnets/gifts).



Rene curled tight against Allen’s side. His face creased in pain even in sleep. Dark curls were plastered to his head, with dried sweat. It had been a bad night. Bad enough they’d snuck off together through the tunnel’s to Rene and Tara’s bedroom, rather than staying in the Royal suite the four of them usually shared. 

The sun had come up hours ago. It glowed softly through the dark green curtains and pooled on the deep floral rugs. Tara and Rene's room was smaller and homeier than the Royal suite and they tended to spend their evenings here, before retiring to the larger bed.

It was strange to see the room in the late morning light. Usually Rene was the first one of them up, dragging Sarrica up, with Allen following soon after. They had all been trying their best to let Tara sleep. With his child by Sarrica only eighteen months old, and his and Rene’s child on its way, he could use all the rest he could get. 

Allen kept an eye on the light. He could not stay in bed. He had the Selemea delegation scheduled for lunch. Myra would reschedule things if Allen didn’t come into the office this morning, the Selemeans would not be as understanding. 

If only it was permissible for Sarrica to claim Rene and Tara as spouses. Then Allen would be able to take time off when Rene was having a bad spell. Tara at least they could acknowledge as the bearer of their children. But Rene was caught in limbo as Nyle’s brother. Even if the court could understand a Dame or Sire remaining part of their beds and lives. The sibling of a dead spouse was not given the same leeway.

Allen started to stroke his fingers through Rene’s stiff hair, gentling him awake. Even with the familiar touch, Rene jerked awake, hand going for the dagger that he usually kept under his pillow. 

They had locked it away last night, before going to bed, for this exact reason. Allen froze, hands up, waiting until Rene was awake enough that recognition came back into his eyes, and he collapsed back into Allen’s arms. 

Rene moaned in appreciation when Allen started combing through his hair again. “You keep that up. I’ll fall back asleep.” 

Allen ducked his head, to press his lips to Rene’s curls. “I wish, love. I have to go to a meeting. I didn’t want you waking up on your own.”

Rene’s arms clamped tighter around Allen’s waist, fingers running over the scars on his back in a familiar, soothing way. The first few months after the mess with the Dragons, Allen hadn’t been willing to let anyone touch his back. 

There were still many nights that having Sarrica or Tara look at his scars was enough to send him to a panic. But over the years Rene had made it his goal to claim every inch of Allen’s skin. Heat rose to Allen’s cheek’s and his member started to harden at the thought of the nights when Rene would lay him out on the bed, with his back up to the air. And spend the whole night licking and massaging his scars until there was not even a twinge of pain left in Allen’s back. 

Rene obviously felt Allen’s interest. The smirk was evident in his voice as he asked, “Are you sure you have to go to a meeting?”

Allen swatted his head. “Stop that.”

Rene looked up, eyes sparkling and mouth in a cocky smirk. “Make me!”

Then his lips crashed into Allen’s as he knocked Allen flat on his back. Using his superior training to keep Allen pinned as he devoured him. Deep consuming kisses drove all thought from Allen’s mind and when he had to break the kiss to take deep, gasping breaths of air. Rene just took that as a chance to lay a line of nibbling kisses along Allen’s jaw and throat. 

Allen couldn’t stop the high pitched whine from escaping. Maybe that meeting wasn’t that important. 

There was sharp clatter and they jumped apart, Rene going for his dagger again. Tara just gave them both an unimpressed look. The clatter had come from where he’d put a tea service and breakfast tray down on the table by the window. The secret entrance hung open. "Merry Morning."

Allen had to cut off a giggle as Rene muffled his Merry Morning against the delicate skin of his stomach.

“Rene, let Allen up.”

Rene grumbled, but when Allen edged off the bed, he let him go.

Tara pressed a soft kiss to Allen’s mouth as he came over to get a glass of tea and some of the toast. Allen gave an appreciative hum as he saw the dark color of the tea. He would need the extra energy after being up most of the night, as Rene jerked himself awake from a series of nightmares. 

His hand had been spasming due to the cold weather and that always triggered nightmares of being trapped and watching as his Dragons were slaughtered or Allen was whipped to death. 

Allen had similar dreams when his back was acting up. Though often they were about his childhood rather than being held prisoner. 

When Rene didn’t get up to get the food, Tara went over to the bed, draped his dressing gown over the foot board and climbed into Allen’s spot. Rene rested his head on Rene’s belly listening to the sound of the babe, soft as they were. 

Allen finished off his tea and toast. The sun poured into the room and the clock on the mantle showed that it was barely an hour until noon. He’d have to rush to get bathed and dressed before the meeting. 

Rene had fallen back to sleep, his weight against Tara. Allen sat on Tara’s other side, hand back on Rene’s head, feeling the solid weight of him. He wanted to stay, until Rene was better. It felt like a betrayal to leave him. But, the Empire came first in all of their lives. 

“You’ll look after him?”

Tara’s smile was indulgent. Of course he would look after Rene. He loved Rene just as much as Allen did. “Go get the meeting over with. Then see if Myra can get you a few hours off. We can team up on him and see if he’ll take a pain tonic.”

Allen snorted. “That will take more than the two of us.”

“Then make Sarrica come back with you. And maybe bring the children. Between the six of us he won’t stand a chance.”

Allen rested a hand against Tara’s belly. “There will be seven of us to gang up on him soon.”

"And after this one is a little older, the two of us will have one of our own. Then there will be eight of us to keep Rene in line." Tara rested his hand on top of Allen's.

"That should be just about enough." The thought of a child with Tara's open personality and his own skill in language was tantalizing. He'd thought the day of having a child of his own blood would never come. "I'm just glad this one has not been giving you as much trouble as Sarrica's baby." Tara's smile. "Kamir has been a huge help. Now Shoo. Go keep the Empire running. The three of us will be fine for a few hours.”

Getting up, Allen let himself have one more look at the three of them cuddled in bed. The sunlight glowing off their olive skin. Sooner started to the sooner done. 

And Tara was probably right. If he brought Sarrica’s children with him, and they saw Rene wasn’t feeling well, they’d get him to take his medicine right up It was a little terrifying how quickly Bellen had taken to having four parents, and using her new diplomatic training to get her way. Tara and Allen had learned not to fall for her tricks, but Rene could never manage to tell her no. It would be amusing to see how quickly his and Tara's child had Rene wrapped around their finger.

Pressing a kiss to Tara’s forehead, Allen forced himself back into the calm and controlled mask of being the High King’s Consort. He had a Empire to keep safe. 

Much as it hurt to leave, Rene would not want him to do anything less. 


End file.
